On New Year's Eve in the third year of Jianwu's reign, at dusk, Lin'an City was in the palace.
In the imperial study room, Zhao Hong, the emperor of the Song Dynasty, stood by the window and looked out at the sky facing Ancheng. The sky and the earth were about to merge into one color. Firecrackers sounded one after another, and the fireworks continued to rise into the sky and shine. Zhao Hong was thoughtful.
He has been on the throne for eight years, dedicated his life and blood, and the King of the Song Dynasty is finally going to make the Northern Expedition!
Shaanxi is still recovering. Can we sit back and relax while transporting grain and grass?
Can the soldiers of the Song Dynasty under his command recover the lost territory in one fell swoop and occupy the sixteen states of Yanyun?
"Your Majesty, Cui Yu and Yu Jie are all here!"
Dong Songchen's soft voice interrupted Zhao Hong's meditation.
"Let them come in!"
Zhao Hong turned around and sat down on the chair.
Cui Yu and others came in, and after bowing to the emperor, they sat down on their chairs. Everyone was overjoyed.
They were all generals of the border army and important ministers of the frontier fortress. The emperor had summoned them here, presumably to give them advice and rewards.
"Time is ruthless, Cui Qing, you have been running Sichuan for seven years, and you have worked hard and achieved great results. Now your beard and hair are all white. Thank you for your hard work!"
Looking at Cui Yu, Zhao Hong said sincerely.
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your consideration. However, I am old and dim, and I am afraid that I cannot continue running for Your Majesty."
Cui Yu was filled with emotion and replied with a cupped hand.
He was 74 years old and had already made several attempts to become an official, but the emperor finally agreed. Returning to court this time is just a formality. After meeting the Holy Spirit, he will retire.
Zhao Hong nodded and faced the ministers.
"My dear friends, in the battle of Hanzhong last year, our king's army defeated the Tatar cavalry, which promoted the prestige of the Song Dynasty and boosted the morale of the people. However, the great cause of restoration cannot be abandoned halfway. The Northern Expedition is already inevitable!"
Zhao Hong looked at the expectant eyes of everyone and continued:
"This time I am calling all the ministers back to the court, firstly to attend the great court meeting, where the king and his ministers will have fun together, secondly to discuss the Northern Expedition, and thirdly, there are some changes in personnel matters that need to be adjusted."
"It's all at your Majesty's disposal!"
All the ministers saluted together, and everyone was happy.
Sure enough, the Northern Expedition adds rewards, and the emperor will never treat his meritorious ministers badly.
Zhao Hong nodded, picked up the paper on the table, glanced at Cui Yu.
"Cui Yuyu became the prefect of Chengdu and the pacification envoy of Chengdu Road in the 14th year of Jiading, and was later promoted to the envoy of Sichuan. During his tenure, he accumulated wealth in the border areas, promoted virtuous people, and brought tranquility to Sichuan. Later, he implemented the New Deal in Sichuan , made outstanding achievements in politics, and devoted his whole life to the immigrants of Hexi and Shaanxi. I could not bear to work too hard, so Cui Yu was appointed as a bachelor of Guanwen Palace and promoted to Dongxiao Palace. I gave Cui Yu a house in Guangzhou, Jinling, Lin'an and Chengdu allowed him to live in a place of his choice, with money and food each worth ten thousand guanshi. Old Xianggong Cui recommended Hu Mengyu to be the envoy of Sichuan, and I agreed."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Cui Yu stood up and knelt down, trembling, and kowtowed to thank God.
"Old Prime Minister Cui, you are worthy of serving the country and the people. My army is about to make an expedition to the north. If you want to live in the north in the future, I will also prepare a house for you."
Zhao Hong laughed, and Fan Zhong and Meng Gong quickly helped Cui Yu up.
"Fan Zhong has been operating in Hexi for five years. Hexi is not only the place where we raise horses in the Song Dynasty, but also becomes the granary of our Song Dynasty. Fan Zhong made the greatest contribution and was promoted to be the pacifier of Hexi Road and Xixia Road. He was rewarded with 2,000 guan. 500 shi per meter. Fan Zhong will continue to serve the country in the northwest, please share my worries."
Fan Zhong is an official. With him in the northwest, Zhao Hong feels at ease.
"I thank Your Majesty for your grace!"
Fan Zhong came out and received the order to thank him.
All the ministers were suspicious and no one said a word.
It was rumored that something happened to Shi Songzhi, the pacifier of Xixia Road. From the fact that Fan Zhong was promoted to pacifier of Hexi Road and Xixia Road today, it is indeed true.
"You don't have to suspect that Shi Songzhi, the Xixia Road pacification envoy, committed a serious crime of killing his colleagues. The Anti-Corruption Department and Dali Temple are under investigation. Shi Songzhi is a talented person, what a pity!"
Zhao Hong shook his head and felt regretful, but he did not hide anything and decrypted the secret for the ministers.
This matter cannot be concealed. Instead of making people panic, it is better to use this to warn the ministers not to commit adultery.
All the ministers were surprised. Everyone knew that Shi Song was domineering, but it was unexpected that he would act so boldly and kill courtiers.
This time, Shi Songzhi may be in danger.
"What happened to Shi Songzhi also reminds you not to follow in his footsteps. The sky is clear and the national law is ruthless. Please take this as a warning!"
After Zhao Hong solemnly warned all the officials, he continued:
"Fan Zhong is an official, and his hard work has made him great achievements. I originally wanted to transfer you to the court to participate in political affairs, but I am not at ease without you in Hexi. Besides, within a few years, our king's division will restore the Western Region, and Hexi will be mobilized with a large army. , the frontier of grain and grass transshipment, Fan Zhong, you can work harder and continue to share the country's worries."
"Thank you, Your Majesty for your grace! I will work with all my heart and courage to live up to Your Majesty's great trust!"
Fan Zhonghei's face turned red and he received the order to thank him.
To be able to gain such trust and favor from the king, he will surely be remembered in history and die without regrets.
"Chen Longzhi runs Shaanxi and needs to transport grain and grass from Hexi and Xingling. Fan Zhong, you have to worry about it."
"I have made arrangements. After returning to Hexi, I will start to handle it immediately."
Fan Zhong hesitated for a moment, then continued:
"Your Majesty, the envoy from Gaochang Kingdom has come to Beijing with his ministers. Your Majesty will know how to deal with it."
The envoys from Gaochang State secretly entered the Song Dynasty. They were all humerus ministers. There seemed to be no need to hide it for fear of leaking the news.
The envoy from Gaochang Kingdom was supposed to meet the emperor at the beginning of the year, but unexpectedly, the Empress Dowager Yang Guizhi was critically ill and the matter was ignored. This time they followed him and Yu Jie to Beijing. Both of them believed that it would be beneficial to the Song Dynasty.
"If you truly surrender, he will be indispensable for glory and wealth. If you want a country within a country, whether it is Gaochang or Dongliao, you can only use force."
Zhao Hong snorted coldly.
Annexing Gaochang State was equivalent to restoring most of the Western Region, and also cut off one of Wo Kuotai's arms. If Dongliao is defeated again, Mongolia will be seriously damaged.
The emperor was tough and all the generals were excited. The Northern Expedition is about to begin, and the Western Region is not yet peaceful. There are many opportunities to make achievements.
"Your Majesty, Shaanxi is in ruins and waiting to be revitalized. During the Northern Expedition at this time, the transportation of grain and grass may be difficult. Your Majesty, please think twice!"
Shaanxi pacifier Chen Longzhi frowned and went to the memorial, while Zhao Hong smiled slightly and was noncommittal.
"Today is New Year's Eve, and the matter of the Northern Expedition will be discussed after the meeting. However, the three armies of the Northern Expedition, the commander of the east route is Meng Gong, the west route is Yu Jie, and the middle route is Du Gao. It will be decided today. The rest of the generals will be members of the Northern Expedition. General, don’t fight for the length of time.”
Yu Jie, Meng Gong, and Du Gao are all famous generals in history. They were aggrieved in that life, but not in this life.
The emperor was determined, but Chen Longzhi had no choice but to say nothing.
"I obey your Majesty's decree!"
All the generals stood in awe and saluted with fists clasped together.
Military orders are like mountains, let alone issued by the emperor himself. Everyone has a share in the Northern Expedition, and that is enough.
Each of the three armies of the Northern Expedition has its own commander. It seems that this time the emperor will be in charge of the rear.
"My dear friends, today is New Year's Eve. I wanted to keep you here for dinner, but I guess you have other events and you don't dare to eat and drink in the palace. I have prepared some good wine and food to take with me when I leave the palace. Every time People reward you with thousands of coins, so you can do as you please."
Zhao Hong waved his hand, and Dong Songchen went down with the "red envelope" and gave one to everyone.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
All the ministers stood up together and bowed with red envelopes to express their gratitude. Everyone was beaming with joy.
It’s so embarrassing to eat and take things at the same time.
Everyone came out, and outside the royal study, headed by the emperor's heir mother Yu, the concubine Zhou Xiuniang and other concubines, as well as a group of princes, princesses and palace officials were waiting. All the ministers saw the ceremony together, said goodbye and left.
It seems that the emperor's family happiness will have a program just like ordinary people's families.
As for how many concubines were not among them, although the officials were surprised, they did not dare to comment.
In the imperial study room, Zhao Hong was at the head, and all the family members sat down one by one. Mr. Yu took the chief seat on the left, and Zhou Xiuniang took the chief seat on the right.
This is the rule in the palace. Although Yu is the heir, the emperor is the emperor, and she is not the queen mother, so she can only sit in the side seat.
"Concubine Li Xian and Yang Guiyi, haven't they come yet?"
Zhao Hong looked at the seat and said softly.
"Your Majesty, Yang Guiyi has returned to Xiaoshan and cannot rush back. Concubine Li Xian occasionally feels cold and feels unwell, so she cannot come."
Jia Sijin interjected softly.
"Your Majesty, would you like me to shout again?"
Zhou Xiuniang looked at her words and asked tentatively.
"It's useless to shout. Whatever is supposed to come will come, and no one can force anything that doesn't want to come."
Yu's face darkened and she said with emotion.
"Listen to me! Forget it, no need to."
Zhao Hong shook his head. He glanced at the young faces of the children in the seats, smiled, and took out a stack of red envelopes.
"Mom, this is yours. I wish you good fortune and a long life!"
"Jun'er, please worry!"
Mrs. Yu accepted the red envelope with a smile on her face.
There are many royal heirs, and this year is quite lively.
"Xiu Niang, this is yours; Cuizhu, this is yours; Si Jin, this is yours. For Wei Ming and Yang Yi, Xiu Niang, the master of the harem, will take care of it."
Zhao Hong smiled, Zhou Xiuniang's heart was agitated, and she quickly took it.
The master of the harem? So, she will soon be established as the Lord of the Sixth Palace?
Seeing Zhao Hong forcing a smile, Mrs. Yu felt sad, turned around and quietly wiped away her tears.
The harem is restless, but it’s not easy for the son!
"Zhao Quan, Zhao Feng, Zhao Zheng, Zhao Min, Zhao Huan, Zhao Ruijuan, Zhao Ruisi, you brothers and sisters, come one by one, everyone has a share!"
With a kind face on his face, Zhao Hong distributed red envelopes and gifts to his children. The eldest son, Zhao Quan, in addition to the red envelopes, also gave a new bronze gun. The other boys are all artillery models, and the girls are small handicrafts from all over the world.
"Dad, I want to use this blunderbuss to command my army of the Song Dynasty and make great achievements across thousands of miles!"
Zhao Quan picked up the blunderbuss, his face flushed and he looked majestic.
"Dad, I also want to command the artillery of my Song Dynasty, blow up the Tatar cavalry to the point of pissing themselves off, protect my family and the country, and be a great hero!"
Zhao Feng held up a small cannon and was equally impassioned.
"Okay, okay! You are all great heroes. You will definitely lead our soldiers of the Song Dynasty to do a good job in the future!"
Zhao Hong laughed. Every boy has a heroic dream. If he has this feeling of family and country in his heart, he is a good man.
"Dad, in the future I will become a painter, ride on my Song Dynasty steamboat, travel to the four oceans and five continents, and paint all the beautiful mountains and waters around the world!"
Daughter Zhao Xin said excitedly while holding the paint box gift.
"Okay, okay! Xinxin is smart and will definitely be a great painter in the future! Dad supports you!"
Zhao Hong touched his daughter's head, his eyes full of love.
Yang Yi, this mother-in-law, doesn't know what her daughter likes. She doesn't come back to accompany her on birthdays and holidays. The poor child is also an excellent child.
"Dad, I want to enter Jinling University in the future and be a good official serving the country and the people!"
"Dad, I want to go to a normal school to teach and educate people, and I will be full of talents all over the world in the future!"
The children were chattering, and Zhao Hong smiled happily and encouraged them all.
At this moment, he was happy.
After talking to the children, everyone sat down on the long table and became quiet again.
"Today is a festive day. There are no outsiders here, and I won't tell lies."
Zhao Hong thought for a moment and finally returned to the topic.
"Xiu Niang and I are a couple in need. We have experienced life and death, and have always worked hard to take care of the entire harem. After the Lantern Festival, I will let the courtiers choose an auspicious day to make her the queen. Everyone applauds and congratulates her."
Zhao Hong applauded first, and the others all smiled and clapped together, and the children's applause became even louder.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Zhou Xiuniang's eyes were wet, she stood up and bowed.
Sure enough, she was going to be made queen.
"Xiu Niang, there is no need to be polite."
Zhao Hong nodded and looked at Cuizhu.
"Cuizhu worked hard and took care of the prince and princess, and helped Xiu Niang with her work. She has merit. I will make her a concubine and choose an auspicious day to enthrone her."
There was loud applause again, Cuizhu blushed and thanked her.
Jia Sijin forced a smile, feeling a little disappointed.
The emperor enthroned the harem, but she had nothing.
"Sijin has taken care of the overall situation of the royal family, and Zheng'er has entered Prince Yi's Mansion to inherit the lineage of Prince Yi. On behalf of your mother, and on behalf of the royal family of the Song Dynasty, I would like to express my gratitude to Sijin."
Zhao Hong nodded towards Jia Sijin and said warmly:
"I would like to confer Sijin as a noble concubine, what do you think?"
The concubine Jia in history is still the concubine Jia today, but she has a different husband.
"Agree! You are the Emperor of the Song Dynasty, you have the final say!"
Princess Yi, Princess Yu, was all smiles and took the lead in agreement.
"agree!"
"agree!"
The concubines and children all said loudly.
"Okay! If everyone agrees, I will confer classmate Jia Sijin as the noble concubine of the Song Dynasty. Everyone applauds!"
Zhao Hong laughed and took the lead in applauding.
Everyone applauded enthusiastically. Jia Sijin's face turned red, her heart beat faster, and she quickly stood up to express her gratitude.
It seems that the emperor treats her well and was just teasing her just now.
Royal concubine! The emperor is a passionate person, and Zhou Xiuniang will always be at the front. This may be the best ending.
"I'll just say it once, everyone sitting here tonight is a family. I don't want to see family members fighting among themselves, or even killing each other. Princes and princesses, they are all your children, and they have their own future. One family. People are happy and healthy, that is more important than anything else.”
Zhao Hong looked at everyone and spoke seriously.
"Your Majesty, I understand. Don't worry."
Zhou Xiuniang was the first to agree.
"Your Majesty, don't worry! We all understand."
Zhang Cuizhu and Jia Sijin continued.
Who dares not to listen to the emperor’s instructions? Those little thoughts that seemed to be absent disappeared in an instant.
"Come, let's raise a glass and celebrate the festival together!"
Zhao Hong raised his wine glass and congratulated all his family members. As the hot meals arrive, the New Year's Eve feast begins amid laughter and laughter.
